Discoveries of new African primate species are rare but
significant events that clarify taxonomic and evolutionary relationships
and highlight important regions of biodiversity for conservation.
Here we report the scientific discovery of a new primate
species, Cercopithecus lomamiensis, sp. nov., found during field surveys
in a remote area of the middle Lomami Basin in central
Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) (Fig. 1). C. lomamiensis
represents only the second new species of African monkey to be
discovered in the past 28 years. The new species is a member of
the tribe Cercopithecini, commonly referred to as guenons, which
represents the most speciose clade of extant African primates.
Guenons are endemic to sub-Saharan Africa and occupy a range
of habitats from wooded savannas to closed forest [1]. The highest
diversity of guenons occurs in closed forests in Central and West
Africa where species utilize different canopy levels, including the
forest floor [2], and exhibit considerable dietary flexibility,
exploiting a diversity of leaf-, insect- and fruit-eating rainforest